It is known in principle that objects in the environment of an object must be captured. The data relating to such captured objects can be made available to security settings or autonomous or partially autonomous driving computers. A wide variety of possibilities are known herefor for capturing the objects in the environment of the vehicle. In addition to sensor systems by way of radar technology or ultrasound, optical methods are also known in principle. Already used, for example, have been light patterns that can be generated e.g. by headlights of a vehicle so that the reflection of the generated light field can be detected in this manner using a camera system. Conclusions can be drawn with respect to these objects or with respect to this environment based on detected diffraction lines of the light pattern at corresponding objects in the environment. As a result, what is known as a depth image can be generated as a three-dimensional image of the environment and be made available to further control mechanisms of the vehicle.
Disadvantages of known methods are in particular the limitations with respect to the selection possibilities of the light pattern of the vehicle. For example, the light-emitting apparatuses of the vehicle are typically mounted fixedly or substantially fixedly on the vehicle. Even if minor adjustment possibilities are provided, it is a substantially fixed generated light cone that will form a first light pattern. Regions next to this light pattern, in particular in the near region of the area in front of the vehicle are here not illuminated or illuminated only poorly. The corresponding acute-angled illumination in the region of the area in front of the vehicle that is a little further away also results in relatively large errors in the evaluation of the reflection of this light pattern.